Time is running short to have a say on bypass bid

Time is running out for people to have their say on a proposals for a huge new dual carriageway.

Highways England has put forward plans to build two miles of new road to relieve jams on the A585 between Fleetwood and the M55.

The route would remove major bottlenecks at Singleton but has been dismissed by some residents as a ‘sticking plaster’ rather than a long-term solution.

The consultation ends at midnight on Monday and some 400 people have already contributed comments by post or online. More than 300 people attended public information exhibitions last month.

Highways England Project Manager Sophie Diver said: “We’ve had a fantastic response so far. But with money on the table to tackle congestion between Windy Harbour and Skippool, we want to involve as many people as possible in this consultation.”

The Government wants Highways England to improve drivers’ journeys between Windy Harbour and Skippool near Poulton, where the Shard and Little Singleton junctions are particular congestion bottlenecks.

The improvements would be paid for out of a £15bn pound pot of cash which is being targeted at the country’s most urgent roads projects.

Highways England, which has responsibility for trunk roads, says the 2.7 miles section is one of the busiest and most congested along the 11.5 mile route.

The proposed new dual carriageway, which would leave the current route near Windy Harbour and rejoin close to the River Wyre roundabout is one of two options.

It would involve the digging of a cutting close to Lodge Lane at Singleton and the building of new junctions at Garstang Road and Skippool.

The project could cost £100m.

A cheaper option would be the construction of a smaller section of new single carriageway and the creation of a one way system at Singleton.

Many of those who attended the public consultation events were unimpressed by the plans which they said fail to tackle the real problems along the route.

Members of the public and councillors complained that single carriageway stretches at Greenhalgh and Amounderness Way would not be improved and are calling for a new junction to be constructed on the M55.

Full information can be found at https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.com/he/a585-windy-harbour-to-skippool-improvements

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